Saturday, December 20, 2014

New post on Mass Climate Action Network (MCAN)

Things wrapped up in Lima at COP20 with an agreement that is either good or inadequate. However, Greenpeace apparently went too far and desecrated a famous archeological site in the Andes. This raises questions about the 'cultural cluelessness' of some activists. Take for example the on going discussion about the Black Lives movement, environmental justice and Climate Hawks.

Lots to think about, but remember, this is the Winter Solstice , and longer days are coming.

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.

Wednesday was a busy reporting night with back to back meetings. The Economic Development Committee (EDC) met at 5:30 followed by the Town Council at 7:00 PM. As mentioned, I lost some time moving from one room to another for the EDC meeting. I did record both meetings. Hopefully, the recording of the EDC meeting will be good enough to share. In the meantime, my notes captured the discussion as completely as I could. This was corroborated by Matt Tota's reporting for the Milford Daily news.

EDC meeting

The discussion on the Pond St property resulted in a decision to propose zoning changes to the parcel and then after the zoning changes are approved (assuming they are), to re-issue the RFP. It is anticipated that the more broad opportunity will spurn some response.On Emmons St, the one reply to the RFP was decided to be brought before the Town Council for discussion. The key question is whether to accept the proposal by Roger Calarese or not, and whether in the acceptance, the decision would limit the 'drive-in' capability or not.Both discussions are scheduled for the Jan 7th Town Council meeting. The first public hearing on the proposed zoning bylaw change will be at the Planning Board meeting on Monday, Jan 5th. The Council had moved on the action which was already on its meeting agenda for Weds.It is likely that the discussions on both properties will revisit what has already been said. What if anything will change the apparent direction of the Council to move on these properties remains to be seen.The full set of notes from the EDC meeting are linked to below.

Town Council meeting

Aside from the discussion on the properties as noted from the EDC meeting, the Council had a quick and interesting meeting.Recognition of Del Arnold and Marlene Oliver for their work on the Historical Commission.The annual re-issuing of the liquor licenses. Some were held back for payment of outstanding invoices (property taxes, etc.).A presentation by Habitat for Humanity which is expanding its mission. It had only built homes, now it is offering home repair services to qualified parties. There are still income and 'sweat equity' requirements but this is a worthy expansion of their mission. Some tri-fold brochures were given to the Councilors, additional brochures will be obtained to share from the Senior Center, Public Library, Food Pantry and other locations in town.One of the more significant actions was the formal creation of the Library Building Committee. Once created by resolution, there were 10 people appointed to the committee. Representing a cross section of Franklin (Town Councilors, Library personnel and Board of Directors, Friends of the Library, and citizens) the group will begin work planning the details for the expansion. Information on the proposed expansion can be found herehttp://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/06/live-reporting-finance-committee-060314.htmland herehttp://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/06/do-we-pay-for-roads-or-not-that-is.html

Franklin Public Library, 118 Main St

The full set of my notes recorded live during the meeting can be found here:

Need to pick up that last minute gift, get wrapping done or just relax!? Saturday, December 20th, there are two, 3 hour holiday activity sessions at St. John’s, 237 Pleasant Street, Franklin. 9:00am to 12:00pm and 12:30pm to 3:30pm. $15 per child, $10 per sibling, $35 family max per session.

This is available for children potty trained through age 11. If you want to sign your child(ren) up for both sessions, please bring a sack lunch.

Please contact Kim Mayhew or Sydney Robinson with any questions or to register your child(ren) please email R.Family5@hotmail.com with name(s), age(s) and session(s). Space is limited.

This is a fundraising event and the money raised will go towards the Youth Leadership Academy's August mission trip to El Salvador for Sydney Robinson.

The Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) is a program for rising 9th and 10th graders in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. The program begins with a week at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center during the summer, where part of the curriculum is based around team building, working in small groups and empowering the youth with the public narrative tool, which they can use as a way to articulate their faith as it relates to the world around them.

St. John’s, 237 Pleasant Street, Franklin in winter time

Throughout the year, each participant creates and leads a self-chosen project in their home parish community by creating a leadership team and empowering other members of their community to take on roles to make their project a success. Successful parish projects begin with the inspired young leader, but proliferate out as they draw in more members of the parish and leads to change within the community. For more information about the YLA program you can go to www.diomassyouth.org .

To get this far the students had to write computer code able to command the precise movements of orb-shaped satellites in online simulations. The finals will have them programming a real satellite on the space station, which orbits about 230 miles above Earth's surface.

On Jan. 16, they are to join peers from all over the United States at the MIT campus for the event, conducted through live video conference with astronauts. Their European counterparts will be competing from a site in Denmark.

The astronauts float with the satellites in a zero gravity cabin, relaying instructions to the students watching from MIT. During the challenge, the teams must program the satellite with different algorithms so, when the time comes, it will glide through the cabin on its own.

By allowing condominiums at a Pond Street property, the town hopes finally to develop the long vacant parcel into a revenue generator.

The Town Council's economic development subcommittee has recommended a zoning change that would permit multi-family residences there. Located near Interstate 495, the property is already zoned for hotels and office buildings.

For more than a decade, the town has tried in vain to market the 33-acre plot to potential developers. The last straw appears to have been a request for proposals put out recently - the second in seven years – that netted just one proposal, which could not be accepted because it arrived late and did not meet the minimum requirements.

A wastewater plant operated at the site from 1902 to 1980. When the plant closed, the property was left abandoned. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the former sewer beds do not pose a hazard.

After news broke earlier this week that all Medway High seniors of both genders may be forced to wear the same color graduation gown at the Class of 2015's June 7 graduation, administrators, students and parents at a school council meeting Thursday agreed the issue needs further conversation.

Meghan Gallagher, president of the senior class, said switching to non-gender-specific graduation gowns is a “no-brainer” when she considers how some of her classmates who are already struggling with gender identity might be even more uncomfortable at graduation, where some are already faced with a “nervous pit in their stomach.”

Gallagher, reading from a statement, said after hearing some argue to keep the traditional gender-specific gowns, she has learned “people are more confined to their rigid ways than previously thought.”

Hold the date for a New Year's craft event at the Library. Yes, you may be still running after that last present, or have to wrap the ones you already have. Put Monday, Dec 29th on the calendar for this craft event for the kids at the Library.

They may need to get out of the house after the long Christmas weekend!